International

SP Member of Parliament Harry van Bommel says that he was ‘delighted’ by the recent freeing of anti-drone activist Karim Khan, who had been arrested earlier in the month. ‘We have invited Mr Khan to come and speak in the Netherlands about the absolutely disastrous consequences of the American drone-war in his country,’ says Van Bommel. ‘I’m really pleased that he will now after all be able to come, because it’s important that his story is heard.’

Karim Khan lost his son and his brother in a US drone attack in December 2009. Since then he has been embroiled in a legal struggle to call those responsible to account, though to date this has been fruitless. The United States has carried out many hundreds of such attacks in Pakistan, Yemen and elsewhere. This has been done without any form of trial and thus contravenes international law. Thousands of people have lost their lives as a result of the attacks, including many innocent civilians.

‘When it became known that Karim Khan had been arrested,’ explains Van Bommel, ‘there was a great deal of international pressure put on the Pakistani authorities. I put parliamentary oral questions to the Minister for Foreign Trade Lilianne Ploumen and sent a letter to the Pakistani Prime Minister. Members of Parliament in other countries have made comparable efforts, which once more demonstrates that international pressure really can help.’

Next Wednesday, 19th February, Karim Khan and Harry van Bommel will speak about the results of the drone attacks at a meeting in Humanity House in The Hague. The meeting, which begins at 6.30 p.m., will be in English.

Debate